


As the Water Laps My Feet

by RogueAlice_91



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 8th year fic, Drarry, F/M, For my 100th Tumblr follower, M/M, Slash, a bit of angst, post-battle fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 20:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/891280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueAlice_91/pseuds/RogueAlice_91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Trio are back for their '8th' year, as is Draco Malfoy. When Harry decides to go for a walk around the castle he meets his old rival and things begin to change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As the Water Laps My Feet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Allthedrarryfeels](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Allthedrarryfeels).



> This is a one-shot for my 100th follower on Tumblr who requested an 8th year Drarry fic with Romance, Hurt/Comfort, and Smut. Sadly I wasn't really up to writing smut by the time I finished this so a kiss is all y'all get.

The castle was different, changed and scarred. That was the first thing Harry notice amidst the chatter of the returning students and excited First Years. The Golden Trio as they were known was, like the rest of the survivors who came back, more subdued. Change had come to them in different forms. Harry had embraced his secret Slytherin side after the battle in order to hide from and deflect the salivating press. And, more recently, to avoid Mrs. Weasley's crowing about him marrying Ginny.

That would have worked out fine save for the fact he was gay and had no interest in Ginny, who he knew had her eye on Neville. After a month of Mrs. Weasley's hints and blatant shoving them at each other, Harry sought the refuge of Grimmuald Place. It was there really that he came to terms with the deaths of those he cared for most. And it was in that house that he met Draco Malfoy for the first time since his family fled post-battle.

************************FLASHBACK****************************

Harry sneezed again as he beat out the worn mothy cushion. Dust motes swirled in the air and he had to wonder what the point of cleaning this old house was. He loved the place to be sure; it was his last link to Sirius. But gods how musty and ragged it had gotten since he freed Kreacher. Hermione had insisted, still out for house-elf rights, that the old elf was in dire need of retirement.

And so, here Harry was in a stained old shirt of Dudley's and too small track bottoms, cleaning the house from cellar to attic. He was up on the second floor now and it was late. Just as he headed up to Sirius' old room he heard the fireplace in the library flare up signaling the Floo. Harry frowned and shouted down the hall, "Mione? Ron?" 

A harsh laugh sounded but was cut off by a sharp "Hush Draco." Green eyes were comically wide behind wire framed glasses. 'Malfoys?' He thought and headed to the library. The door creaked when he opened it and he winced internally. 

There, before the orange flicker of the fire was Narcissa Malfoy brushing soot from the hem of a well worn green gown. Malfoy, 'Draco' a voice whispered in Harry's head, stood tall and proud beside her in a black suit. 

Harry blinked and tugged at the hem of his shirt. "Sorry to be rude but...what are you doing in my house?" He tried to keep his tone polite, after all Mrs. Malfoy had every right as a Black heir to be here too. Malfoy scowled and made to said something but his mother stopped him with a light touch on his shoulder.

"As you can see Mr. Potter, we are not your Gryffindor friends. As to what we are doing here...that is a matter that does not truly concern you." Her tone was pleasant with an icy undercurrent. Still Harry bristled at the out right dismissal. "Like I mentioned before, this is MY house. Sirius gave it to me in his will." He'd be damned if his was going to let the ferret and his ice queen mother do anything in his home. 

Malfoy snarled and stepped up, radiating anger. "Don't talk to my mother like that Potter. Let's us get what we came here for and we'll leave /your/ house." Harry snorted and narrowed his eyes. "Likely, very likely Malfoy. But have it your way." He stepped aside and gestured out into the hall. 

The two blondes swept out of the room and made their way to wherever they were going in the house. Harry sighed and sat in one of the hard wingback chairs, running a hand through his messy hair. He stared into the crackling fire and wondered what the Malfoy duo had come to retrieve. It could be any number of things, a family heirloom or even a book on Dark magic.

Kreacher had hid the most antique books when they had cleaned the place in Harry's fifth year. That sent a pang of longing through him and wished he'd stashed some Ogden's here too like he had in Sirius' bedroom. Harry was so wrapped up in his memories of his godfather that he didn't hear his 'guests' return until Mrs. Malfoy cleared her throat. 

Harry jumped up and whirled around. "Found what you needed then yeah?" He asked, wishing again for something to quell the embarrassment and sadness in his gut. Malfoy gave a tight nod and stepped into the flames. A whisper of "Malfoy Manor" and he was gone. Narcissa gave Harry a tiny upturn of the lips he supposed was a smile. "Yes we did indeed. Thank you Mr. Potter." And with that she too was gone in a rush of emerald flame. 

"I really need that drink now." Harry muttered as he headed downstairs.

***********************FLASHBACK END**********************

Harry waited until everyone had gone up to their dormitories before he slipped out to go to the Room of Requirement. Or at least to the stretch of wall it now just was. The Room had been unable to repair the damage from the fire. As he walked Harry thought about that night and how scared he was and how surprisingly good Malfoy's arms had felt around his waist. 

After seeing Malfoy at Grimmuald all he could think about at night was the blonde and how smooth his skin looked and how he imagined those pink lips would feel against his. It always led to him wrapping a hand around his cock and jerking off while picturing that pale sneering face. The only time he used Malfoy's first name was when he came. And only if he was the only one in the house. 

Harry stopped near the blank stretch of wall and began to walk back and forth three times. As expected nothing came up, not even the door to a broom closet. He closed his eyes and slumped against the cold stone flashes of everything that had happened in the Room playing in his head. Saving Malfoy and his cronies, finding the diadem, DA meetings, kissing Cho... 

And suddenly he was imagining Malfoy in Cho's place.   
Harry jerked away from the wall just as a quiet drawling voice broke the silence. "What are you doing now Potter? Reliving the glory days?" Malfoy's tone this time held no mocking, only a wistful sort of sadness. Harry's heart twisted in his chest as he remembered Malfoy had lost his friend in the Room, Crabbe. 

He shook his head and turned to the Slytherin. "I just couldn't sleep...didn't want to..." He trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Didn't want to what?" Harry wondered what the blonde was playing at. Where was the taunting and the name-calling? Still he felt he owed an explanation to Malfoy for...something anyway.

"I came down here to get away from the people. The noisy people in the Common Room. The ones who want to congratulate me or even worse scream at me for some death I am apparently responsible for. Hermione wants to talk about everything, Ron is pissed I'm not dating his sister, and Ginny is too busy eyeing Neville to talk." It spewed out of him like a river of words and he ducked his head at the end. 

Malfoy was quiet for a second. "Can't say I blame you Potter. I get the accusations, my whole House is making death threats against me and you of course. Except for Blaise that is...he's always been neutral." Harry looked up in surprise. Was hell going to freeze? Should he look out the window in Gyrffindor Tower to see if pigs were flying?

"So um...look I'm sorry about earlier in the summer. When you came to my house I was, I didn't expect it. I should have remembered your mother was Sirius's cousin." His apology sounded lame even to him but Malfoy just nodded briskly. "I was out of line as well. I was...angry at my circumstances. I have learned to adjust."

Now Harry was interested. "Circumstances?" He asked, hoping he would get an answer. "Yes. My family has gone from wealthy to disgraced in Wizarding society. My father is in Azkaban you know. Your testimony was the only thing that saved my mother and I from it too." He let the unspoken 'thank you' hang in the air. Harry didn't know what to say. 

Then it came to him and he stepped up, holding out his hand. "Hello I'm Harry Potter, just Harry mind you, none of this Chosen One business." The corners of Malfoy's mouth flitted up in a ghost of a smile. He took Harry's hand and shook it. "Hi I'm Draco Malfoy. You can just call me Draco." The two gripped each other's hands before slowly letting go. 

Harry was loath to give up the small bit of contact he had with the object of his affections but did so anyway. Rubbing the back of his neck he started to say something when Draco cut him off. "Well goodnight...Harry. Get some sleep alright? And don't let Granger and Weasel get to you." With that the blonde was off heading back to his dorm.

Harry stood there dazed. Did that really just happen? Shaking his head he began the walk back to Gyrffindor Tower. As soon as he entered the Common Room Hermione pounced on him, demanding to know where he was. Harry finally just snapped and glared at the bushy haired girl. "Ok listen Hermione, you. Are. Not. My. Mother." The look on her face made him regret it only slightly but he just headed up to bed and tried not to think of Draco.

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Over the next few weeks Harry met up with Draco in the corridor of the Room. They talked about everything, classes and friends but never really touched on the war. He did learn that Snape was Draco's godfather and a longtime friend of Lucius Malfoy's. 

After some time he told Draco about Snape's memories and how much the man had loved Harry's mother. Draco nodded at this. "He had a small picture of a red head on his mantle. I didn't know it was your mother until now." 

Harry raised an eyebrow at that in surprise. "Well, I didn't know that but...I guess it makes sense." He chuckled quietly. "So what did Snape's rooms look like? Ron and I thought they might be just a different version of his office or classroom; you know plenty of creepy things in jars." 

"I can tell you that was not true." The Malfoy heir said and looked to be in thought at Harry's question. "Uncle Severus' rooms were cozy, in a completely understated way. The sofa and wingback chair were both black and actually comfortable. He had a long deep green rug with swirling patterns in muted silver on the floor. A dark mahogany table, rectangle shaped, was on a part of the rug."

Harry could picture it, could see Draco spending weekends and long afternoons before the fire with Snape. "Was there any other pictures of my mother?" He had a sudden desire to gain as much insight into his mother and Snape's friendship as possible. A part of him knew it was because he knew so little about her. Another part had a odd need to get closer to Draco and talking about his godfather seemed to work.

Draco barely tilted his head to the side, something Harry noticed he did before giving an answer to a difficult question. "I think there might have been something related to her in his bedroom. Once when I stayed the weekend he went into his room and accidentally left the door opened a bit. I saw him open the bottom drawer of his nightstand with a spell and get a dark wood box with small lilies carved into the front corners. I didn't see what was in the box." 

Harry wasn't too surprised. After viewing the man's memories in the 'lull' of the battle he knew just how much Lily Potter had meant to his Professor. "So...." He trailed off, feeling stupid for not having anything to say back. Harry's gaze landed on Draco's lips and for a moment he imagined how they would feel on his. 

Draco's next words brought him back down though. "Want to go to the Lake? I think we've been inside too long." Something about that offer made Harry feel like a girl with a secret boyfriend. 'Don't be daft. He is probably not even gay and if you tried anything he'd freak. Then what would you do?' His inner voice sound both logical and blunt, like Ginny really. 

Then he realized that he needed to give answer. "S-sure." Harry stuttered out and felt the tips of his ears heat up. Draco just raised a blonde brow and began to walk to Entrance Hall. Harry gave a look to the stretch of wall and followed him.

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Thankfully the grounds around the Lake were deserted. Despite the shaky alliances formed between the Snakes and Lions Harry knew both Houses would be suspicious of their 'leaders' talking. Harry stopped when Draco did to sit down on the grass.

"What do you think our Houses would do if they saw us together?" Harry asked, voicing his previous thoughts. 

Draco leaned back on his elbows, completely destroying Harry's picture of the ever stately Malfoys. "Well, my House wouldn't do a lot except sneer and make even more threats. Your House...they'd probably get mad. Especially Weasel, he'd explode or have a heart attack or something. Granger would be pretty alright though I think."

Harry had to give Draco points for knowing his beat friends so well. Of course that came with the two of them being enemies for all of seven years. "Yeah. Hermione would be logically and wonder if I'd finally wised up and given House Unity a try. Better late than never as the saying goes." 

He frowned. "Ron...at first he would be his normal fly off the broom handle self but I think, I would hope, after everything thats happened he'd calm down and think some. Why, were you planning on standing in the middle of the Great Hall and shouting 'I like Harry Potter!'?" Harry joked.

"No. That would, to everyone else, signal the end of the world. I just figured that eventually people would figure it out but I wanted to know if you felt the same as me." Draco answered, a small quirk to his lips. 

Harry's heart gave a lurch at the words 'felt the same as me' and he almost replied 'Yeah I like you too' but didn't. "Oh. Alright. That makes sense." He internally cringed at his reply and for the second time that day watched Draco's mouth.

The Gyrffindor part of him wanted to lean forward and kiss the pale blonde who looked so haunted still. His released Slytherin side however, felt Harry needed to play it less obvious. Harry opted for a compromise. Still looking at Draco, he moved until he was right next to the other boy. 

Draco blinked but stayed silent, wanting to see what his friend would do. Harry brushed his shoulder against Draco's trying to ignore the low spark he felt. The blonde's grey eyes locked with his green and he saw the tangle of emotions mirrored back at him. It was an invitation for...something, both knew that much. What that something was they wanted to find out. 

Harry exhaled slowly and gathered his infamous courage, or as Snape called it 'recklessness', like his Invisibility Cloak. Leaning forward he pressed his lips to Draco's. 'I was right. His lips are soft.' Harry thought as he waited for the rejection. It came as a shock when, instead of pulling away, Draco kissed back, lips moulding to Harry's with almost a frenzy. 

The brunette wizard parted his lips allowing better access to his mouth. As Draco's tongue explored every inch of Harry's mouth, his hand found its way into that messy black hair. Harry, in response, slipped a hand into the soft blonde locks, really glad Draco stopped using gel around third year. 

Ironically that was about the time Harry realized he was gay. Of course he kissed Cho to keep up appearances (really she had initiated the kiss) and Ginny sixth year for the same reason. This kiss with Draco, his once worst enemy now friend, was a thousand times different than any others he'd had. 

It was warm and languid, not a hurried peck or a tearful kiss. At the same time there was a desperation in it like one or both of them had been holding back for ages and now couldn't get enough. Finally Harry had to pull away to get some much needed air, lips slightly swollen from the kiss.

The silence wasn't really oppressive. It was more like something had been unlocked and slid into place between them. Harry leaned tentatively against Draco and almost started when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. Strange though it looked, he had never been more comfortable than he was now, in the arms of a former enemy. 

"It could have been like this much sooner." Draco said, breaking the silence at last. Harry looked and saw him staring straight ahead at the Lake. Now his curiosity was peaked.

"How 'much sooner'?" He asked wondering if he really needed to know the answer. Draco turned and gave him a trademark smirk. "Sixth year. I thought you liked me by the way you were always watching me." 

Harry blushed. "Actually, I was kind of...spying on you that year. I knew you were doing something when I saw you that summer at Borgin and Burkes. Of course Hermione thought I was stalking you but Ron believed me." He waited for the hiss of anger but it never came. Sneaking a glance at Draco he saw surprise and...respect?

"You'd make a good Slytherin. I never even knew anyone was tailing me." Draco said. "I was preoccupied with something else then so I guess my own subterfuge skills were lacking." Harry winced as he knew what that something else had been. 

"I...was there when you tried to kill Dumbledore. He and I were on a mission for something to help defeat Voldemort and he knew that would happen." He blurted out and his eyes flicked down to his hands. 

"What? How...where were you? I didn't see you." Draco objected, arrogance creeping into his tone. Harry laughed. "Exactly. You didn't /see/ me. I was under my Invisibility Cloak. And Dumbledore put me under a body bind so I couldn't have moved if I wanted to." 

Draco was quiet for a few minutes and Harry could almost hear the whir of his mental cogs. Finally he said "So you saw /everything/. Well, I guess we are even, I mean I had to see your swollen face in my house when you and the other two were caught." He gave a bark of laughter and Harry knew they'd be alright.

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It had taken everyone some time to get use to the fact that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, bitter enemies, were friends. The cherry on top of the twisted sundae was that, after a couple months of secrecy, they came out not just as gay, but as a couple. Sure Harry was raked over the coals by both his friends and most of his House. And yes Draco got threats and chilling looks from his fellow Snakes. 

But after they were seen at 'their spot' by the Lake one day everyone finally realized that Harry and Draco were just trying, like they were, to find happiness after such a brutal time in their world. Harry himself realized that Dumbledore had been right when he said the greatest power he possessed was the most powerful of all emotions; love. And if that love was directed toward Draco Malfoy, well that was an added bonus.


End file.
